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High Flight Articles

Volume I, No. 2, Page 6



FABRICATING A TAIL WHEEL
ASSEMBLY

By Dario Brisighella

Here's a simple tail-wheel assembly, which can be fabricated in an hour or two from a modeler's bits and pieces scrap box but still does not require a full machine shop to complete. Dimensions are not critical nor limited. As detailed, a like assembly is in use on one of my 20 pound biggies with total satisfaction.

Silver brazing of the assembly is easily accomplished with a bit of"Bunky Hunt's Hi-Priced Silver...", a propane torch, and a bit of Borax Flux. As the metals must be heated to cherry-red for brazing, a short lesson in heat treating may well be in order. When the brazing operation is completed, do not water or oil-quench! Allow the assembly to air-cool until it can be handled. Next warm up the "little lady's" baking oven to as high a setting as you can obtain. Place the assembly in the hot oven for at least an hour or two.

After this baking period, shut off the oven, leave the oven door closed and allow both the oven and the assembly to cool down slowly. This re-treating will restore the "spring" of the music wire. By the way, I never struggle trying to cold bend any heavy guage music wire as this heat treatment works well to restore the temper after heading any music wire red-hot for bending.

To avoid having the spring-strut wire from interfering with the verticle hole through the tail-wheel strut bushing, you may also consider using a thin wall brass sleeve as a bearing surface for the wheel strut wire. Having this sleeve inserted before brazing the spring strut in place also then acts as a stop, preventing the spring-strut from closing off the verticle hole through the bushing.

The control arm is soldered or brazed to a standard wheel collar. Be certain to file a notch or flat for the set screw(s) to bear against. Though this tail-wheel assembly may appear quite stark as shown, the addition of a few small emblishments could alter its appearance dramatically.

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